Shropshire Star

New study sheds light on how upside-down jellyfish cause ‘stinging water’

Cassiopea jellyfish release toxin-filled mucus into the water that can lead to stinging, itching skin.

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Three Cassiopea, or upside-down jellyfish

Scientists believe they may have solved the mystery of why coming close to upside-down jellyfish can cause irritating stings, without any direct contact with the creature.

Researchers have found that the Cassiopea jellyfish release toxin-filled mucus into the water that can lead to stinging, itching skin, a phenomenon which the team describe as “stinging water”.

Cheryl Ames, an associate professor at Tohoku University in Japan and one of the study authors, said: “This discovery was both a surprise and a long-awaited resolution to the mystery of stinging water.

“We can now let swimmers know that stinging water is caused by upside-down jellyfish, despite their general reputation as a mild stinger.”

Upside-down jellyfish live in warmer coastal regions around the world and can sometimes be seen in the shallow waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.